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Comment by alwillis | Hacker News Reader

> Easier to just screen for this during annual or biannual physicals with a blood draw, no?

Short answer: no.

You’re not going to be screened for certain things on your annual unless your age or condition warrants it.

Unless you’re in a high risk group, they’re not going to recommend a colonoscopy if you’re under 50-55 years old. That could change if enough data has been collected to suggest otherwise.

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That recommendation changed ~4.5 years ago to be 45 and older.

https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/colorectal/basic_info/screening/i....

And earlier still if you have a family history or certain bowel diseases. From that page:

However, you may need to be tested earlier than 45, or more often than other people, if you have—

Inflammatory bowel disease such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis.

A personal or family history of colorectal cancer or colorectal polyps.

A genetic syndrome such as familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP)external icon or hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer (Lynch syndrome).

Correct; I was responding to correct a conditional which started "Unless you’re in a high risk group..."

If people don't think something is worth checking for annually, why would they check for it continuously?

If we were at the point that wearable, multi-illness screening patches are affordable and available, would it not follow that annual screens would also be just as available?

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